Waldrop, the 2014 USA Softball National Player of the Year and two-time Cowles Cup champion, has compiled 11 wins across three seasons at the professional level, all spent in Chicago.

“We’re excited to welcome back Lacey to a talented pitching staff ahead of the 2018 season,” general manager Toni Calmeyn said. “She’s a veteran of the NPF and brings a winning pedigree to the circle each time she’s out there.”

Waldrop ranked as the Bandits’ third-most utilized pitcher during the 2017 season, logging 58 innings through 17 appearances, including 11 starts. Her three wins also ranked third on the team.

A four-time All-ACC performer at Florida State, Waldrop jumped onto the scene with the Bandits after being selected third overall in the 2015 NPF Draft. The Chester, Virginia resident concluded her rookie campaign with a 3-5 mark and a 3.42 ERA.

Waldrop’s success in the circle continued into her second season when she finished the season with a 5-4 record, one of three pitchers on the Bandits’ 2016 roster to sport a winning record.

No stranger to the ACC, Waldrop joined the softball staff at Duke University on July 6, 2017, where she is tasked with coordinating the program’s pitching staff and player development.

The four-time Cowles Cup champion Chicago Bandits will be back at The Ballpark at Rosemont for the 2018 season. For more information about the Chicago Bandits or to reserve your season tickets, please visit chicagobandits.com or call the box office at 877-722-6348.

Since 2005, the Chicago Bandits have been members of the National Pro Fastpitch league. Entering their 14th season as a franchise, the Bandits have provided the Chicago area with high-level softball talent and entertainment en route to capturing six regular season titles and four Cowles Cup championships, the most recent coming during the 2016 campaign. Located in Rosemont, the Bandits play at The Ballpark at Rosemont, one of the premier softball facilities in the nation. The Ballpark at Rosemont is the only stadium in the country built exclusively for a women’s professional softball team. The Bandits provide an opportunity for female fastpitch softball players to further their careers at the professional level and has included legendary figures such as Jennie Finch, Monica Abbott and Tammy Williams.

National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2004, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in fastpitch softball beyond their collegiate and amateur success. The NPF affiliate teams consist of the Akron Racers, Beijing Shougang Eagles, Chicago Bandits, Scrap Yard Dawgs, Texas Charge and USSSA Florida Pride for the 2017 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the United States, Australia, Canada and China among which are the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.